Pencil



May 14, 1929. c. R. sHEAr-'FER PENCIL Filed Nov. 23, 1921 @//D MW lll dll

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Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HRM@ R. HEAFFER, F FORT MADSN, IOWA, ASSIGN'H, 'JPG W'. llt. SHEAFFER PEN" COMPANY, A CRPORATXUN 0F IUWA.

PENCIL.

Application ed lovemher 23, 319m.. Serial Ito. l'l,l73.

l invention relates to that form of pencils employing mechanism for propelling and repelling individual leads beyond the end of the pencil barrel and for completely enpelling the individual leads therefrom.

'lhe primary object of my invention is to improve devices of this character generally..

@ne of the unique leatures of my invention is the means for arresting the pencil lead soclret or clutch in its outward movement and then enpelling the pencil lead from the clutch by a continuons rotation of the cap ot the pencil barrel..

@ther objects ot the invention vvill appear trom the tollovvin description, vvhich is din rected to the pre erred embodiment of the invention? reference being had to the acconipanying drawings forming a part of 'the specihcation.

Fig. l is an elevational vievv ot a pencil embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional vievv thereof.

Fig. d is an enlarged detail sectional view of the lovver portion of the barrel of a pencil embodying my invention.

liig., 'l is an elevational view of the slotted guide tube.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the slotted guide tube.

Fig. 6 is an elevation view of the spirally slotted screw sleeve.

Fig. 7 is an elevation view of the pencil lead socket or clutch.

Fig. 8 is an elevational vview of the follower.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the retaining collar for the screw Sleeve.

Fig. 10 is a pers ective view of the washer which surrounds te guide tube between the end of the screw sleeve and the retaining colla-r. l

Fig. 1l is an enlarged detail view showing the stud of the pencil lead socket or clutch engaged by the right angle slots in the guide tube and the screw sleeve.

Referring now to the drawings the pencil embodying my invention as illustrated therein comprises an outer casing or barrel 10, which terminates at one of its ends in the conically shaped or tapered portion 11, which is provided with an axial opening 12 therein of such contour and size in cross section as will permit the pencil lead or cra on that it is proposed to use in the pencil to ave free reciprocal movement therethrough. This outer casing or barrel may be made of any suitable material and of such thiclniess or Weight as may be deemed desirable. The barrel or outer casing forms a housing for the `reception therein of the pencil lead propelling, retracting and expelling mechanism.

l shall new proceed to describe my im proved pencil lead propelling, retracting and expelling mechanism `which may be made of any suitable material, preferably brass and which coinprises'a collar 13 which in its general outline is conical or tapering in shape and is provided with tivo enlarged portions 11i and .l59 which conform on their peripheral surfaces to the surface of the periphery of the inner face of the vvall of the conical. or tapered portion 11 of the pencil barrel or casing 1U in order that they may establish a friction grip with the barrel or outer casing lll When forced into contact with the inner Walls of the conical portion ll thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Collar ld has central bore 16 passing longitudinally therethrough .of such diameter as to snugly' receive the guide tube 18 in a tight push iit and rigidly hold the tube in frictional engagernent with the collar. The outer Wall of tube i8 is beveled or tapered at its lower end as at 18al to conform to and frictionally engage with the surface of the inner Wall of tapered portion 11 of the outer casing or barrel l() and is provided with a longitudinal slot 19 which intersects a slot 20 lying at right angles thereto and extending around the tube 18 approximately 180 degreesat a point adjacent the upper or inner end of collar 13 for a purpose which Will presently be described.

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I prefer to unite the collar 13 with guide 95 tube 18 previous to cutting slot 19 therein,

` which slot has a tendency to weaken the tube,

in order to revent distortion thereof when the tube is orced into engagement with the collar, which operation Will' result in considerable strain on the tube in order to firmly engage the tube with the collar as the parts are made to have an exceedingly snug or tight fit in order to form an eiiicicnt union therebetween. After uniting the collar and the tube I use a cutter for forming a slot 19 in the tube, thus preserving the perfect alignment of the guide tube. The collar and guide tube may of course be made of one piece of any suitable material, although in the interest oi' economy of manufacture AI prefer to make Vthem separately and assemble them as described. The tubular pencil lead socket or clutch 17 which is carried within guide tube 18 and adapted to have free reciprocal movement therein is kerfed at its lower end as at.

tube 18 and slidably engage the spiral slot of vscrew sleeve 25, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be noted by reference to Figs., 2, 3

and 6 that spiral slot 24 of screw sleeve 25 intersect-s slot 26 which latter slot is out in the lower portion of the sleeve and at. right angles to the axis thereof and entends around the sleeve approximately 180 degrees in the same direction as the convolutions of the spiral slot 24, which is in the opposite direction to the course of slot 2Q in guide tube 18, and slot 26 lies in the same plane with slot 2O of guide ltube 18 and therefore registers 'therewith when the parts are wassembled as shown in Fig. 11. The tubular socket i7 has mounted therein follower 27 which is adapted to have free reciprocal movement with relation to socket'17. The follower 27 is formed from apiece ,of relatively sti wire which is bent upon itself and then at right angles to the axis of the wire at one of its ends, thus Ytorming an enlarged elon ated portion adapted to engage the slot 19 or the guide tube 18 and a short linger 28 adjacent the end thereof,

which finger slidably engages slot 19 of guide tube 18 and slot 24: of screw sleeve 25. form of follower characterizing apphcants invention is a' most desirable and ingenious construction, and is a decided improvement over structures heretofore used in the art which have only a projecting end or tip of small diameter co-operating with the slot in the guide tube and which have substantially only a line contact with the walls of the slot, while in applicants structure it will be 0b- Served that the folded or sinuous shape of the material of the follower at the upper end thereof provides an enlarged elongated bearin in the slotof the guide tube and contriutes to the strength and durability of the follower and to the eciency of the structure as a whole. Finger 28 of follower 27 engages slot 24 of screw'sleeve 25 at a point above stud 23 of socket 17 in guide tube 18 in-order to completely expel the pencil lead from the outer end of the tubular socket- 17 and the tapered end of the pencil barrel after the socket has been moved to the limit of its outward movement within guide tube 18 in the manner presently to be explained.

Guide tube 18 is rotatably carried within screw sleeve 25 which sleeve is held in frictional engagement by the reduced portion 29 of a connection sleeve 30. The sleeve 30 at its upper end-forms an enlarged socket adapt ed for the reception of a tubular magazine 31'* with relation to the barrel or outer casing 10.

lt will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that cap 31 is formed with its inner wall thickened as at 32 at a point adjacent its juncture with the outer casing or barrel 10, thus forming a bearing 32* for the cap on the barrel. The wall of the tubular extension of cap 31 is provided 'with an inwardly struck bead 35 adjacent its inner end to forni a seat for the pencil eraser socket 3l and thereby limit the inner move ment of the socket, while socket 3- has an in wardly struck bead 36 adjacent its open end to foi-in a detent 'for securely holding the pencil eraser 34 therein. By the arrangement just described, it will he seen thatl have provided. aconstruction in which a propelling, expelling and repelling mechanism for individual pencil leads together with a magazine for a quan tity of reserve pencil leads is compactly ar ranged in such a manner as to occupy a ininimum amount of space. rlhis arrangement is permitted by reason of the construction of the connection sleeve 3) which is .securely lined to screw sleeve 25 by frictional engagement therewith and connected to the operating cap 3l by being detachably and frictionally sc cured to the magazine barrel 3F of the cap 3l.

As the cap 31 is rotated with. respect to the barrel or casin o" l0, this motion is transmitted by the connection sleeve 30 to the screw sleeve 2.5, which, in turn, actuates-the lead propelling and repclling mechanism.

l will now 'describe the manner of asscm bling my improved pencil. Afr the guide tube 18. has been secured to collar 13 as described, l insert the upper end of follower 27 in screw sleeve 25 engaging slot 24 thereoi with stud 28 of the follower, the lower end of the follower 27 protruding from the bottom of screw sleeve 25, and then insert the lower end of the follower in the upper end of socket i7, and then push the upper end of the socket into the lower end of the sleeve and engage the slot ofthe sleeve with stu'd 23 o f socket 17 leaving the lower e'nd of the socket protruding from the lower end of the sleeve 25 and around the follower 27, when I place the lower end of the socket with the lower end of the follower therein in the u per end of guide tube 18, rotating the gui e tube until slot 19 thereof engages lirst finger 28 of the follower and then stud 23 of the socket. I then place the washer 37 around the upper end of guide tube 18 and superimpose collar 38 thereon, when the upper end of the guide tube 18 may be flared as at 39, Figs. 2 and 3, in any suitable manner, thus securely holding the parts in assembled relation. Then the reduced portion 29 of the connection sleeve 30 is frictionally selill ing the casing at this point.

cured to the screw sleeve 25 by being telescopically connected therewith, after which the magazine barrel 31a of the cap 31 is detachably inserted in the enlarged portion of the connection sleeve 30. The parts thus far assembled lorm a very eiicient and compact mechanism in the shape of a core which is next inserted into the outer casing to a position in which the tapered portions 14 and 1.5 ol the collar 13 engage the inner conical wall 11 oit the outer casino'. ln this position the collar 13 is frictionallby secured in the casing and lorms a bearing tor the actuating mechanism and also serves to centrally posi tion the guide tube 18 in socket 17 as well as the follower 27 in registering position with the axial opening l2 in the casing 10. The

.upper end ot the core, as previously deu scribed, is rotatably supported in the upper end ol the casing 10 by means of the `cap 3l having a bearing, seat 32*L thereon and engag lt will ol course be understood trom the above description that alter the collar 13 with its co-operating parts has been securelylixed in the casing 10 that the magazine 31a containing the reserve peu cil leads together with the cap 31 may be removed without disturbing ordisconnecting the other parts.

ln using my improved pencil the barrel 10 ins held against rotation and the cap 31 is turned in the right hand direction, thereby lorcing the pencil lead socket or clutch downwardly within guide tube 18, and through collar 13 until its forward end reaches the position shown in dotted lines inv Fig. 2, when stud 23 and finger 28 will assume the position shown in Fig. 2, at which time there will be a very short butt of the pencil lead held bythe socket or clutch 17 when the cap 31 may be further rotated in the right hand direction which will result in the rotation of the spirally slotted screw sleeve 25, `which rotation of the sleeve will force the follower downwardly through the pencil vlead socket or clutch until linger 28 assumes the position shown in 1F ig. 2, at which time the outer end of follower 27 will have'protruded through the opening 12 of the conically or tapered portion 11 of barrel or casing 10 and completely expelled all of the piece of the pencil lead from the clutch and pencil barrel, Fig. 2. As before stated, the right angular slot 2O ot guide tube 18 and theslot 26 of screw sleeve 25 which extends around the sleeve at right angles to the axis thereof both lie in the same plane withrelation to collar13 and therefore register one with the other. In this construction when linger 23 reaches the limit of its outward movement in slot 19 the pencil lead socket or clutch will be arrested in its outward movement by the contacting with the bottom of slot 19 ofinger 23 at which time finger 23 will be in registering position with the slot of guide tube 18 also in registering position with slot 26 of screw sleeve while finger 28 of the follower 27 will engage slot 24 of screw sleeve4 25 above stud 23 the distance between the convolutions of slot 2d in the plane ot slot 19 of 'guide tube 18. The stud 23 being in registering position with slot 26 will permit of the rotation of screw sleeve 25 approximately 189 degrees about its axis when stud 23 will contact with the end wall l1 of slot 26 when -it will be carried through slot 20 of guide tube 18 approximately 180 degrees until stud 23 contacts with the end wall d2 oil slot 20, thus allowing finger 28 of follower 27 to move the. follower downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, which isa triile beyond the point of the conical or tapered portion 11 oit the barrel or casing 10, thereby completely expelling the lead 22.

@n applying the reverse or left hand rotation to screw sleeve 25l the stud 23 ot socket or clutch 17 will ride through slot 26 ot the screw sleeve 25 to the end thereof when the end wall otslot 26 will draw stud 23 through slot 20 ot guide tube 18 to the end ot slot 20 opposite to that which it occupied when lollower 27 was at its limit oit outward movement, thereby placing the stud 23 in alignment with slot 19 of guide tube 18 at which time stud 23 and linger 28 will be in position to ascend spiral slot '24 of screw sleeve 25 in their normally spaced relation. This operation will have required approximately one revolution ot cap 31 about its axis and will have drawn dinger 28 of follower 27 upwardly in slot 19 ol guide tube 18 into normal relation and longitudinal alignment with stud 23 in slot 19 of barrel '18 when further rotation oit cap 31 in the left hand direction will-completely withdraw pencil lead socket or clutch in the pencil barrel to the full limit of its movement.

I provide my pencil with the usual clip 43 for retaining the same in the pocket.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A lead pencil of the character described comprising, in combination, a casing, a r0- 4 tatable cap carried thereby, a sleeve having a spiral slot formed therein rotatably mounted in said casing and operatively connected to said cap, a guide tube having a longitudinal slot therein, a lead engaging socket within said tube, and a follower positioned in said socket and formed of a piece of wire bent upon itself and then at right angles to the axis thereof in a manner to form an elongated bearing in the slot of said tube and a short nger adapted to engage the spiral slot in said sleeve.

2. A lead pencil of the character described comprising, in combination, a Casin a longitudinally slotted guide tube positioned in said casing and connected therewith, a spirally slotted sleeve journalled on said casing, a lead engaging socket mounted within said lllil guide tube, a stud carried by the socket and adapted to en age the longitudinal slot in said tube and tie spiral slot in said sleeve, a follower positioned in said socket and formed of a spring Wire bent upon itself to l'orni an enlarged elongated portion adapted to engage the longitudinal slot in 'said guide tube and then bent laterally to the axis ol the follower in a manner to form a inger adapted to extend into the spiral slot ot' said sleeve, and a rotatable cap carried by said casing and operatively related to said spirally slotted sleeve.

3. A follower for a lead pencil ot the character described, comprising a piece of spring wire having a portion thereof bent upon itself-to Jform an enlarged elongated portion at one end of the follower and then bent at right angles to the axis of the body portion in a manner to form a relatively short finger adjacent the inner end of said enlarged portion and extending transversely to the body portion of the follower.

4. A lead pencil comprising an outer casing having one end conically shaped with an axial lead opening therein, a solid conical collan conforming on its outer peripheral surface to the inner surface of the conically shaped end of the casing, a tubular guide ex# tending axially through said conical collar and on both sides thereof and closely fitting an axial bore therein, the said tubular member beine' provided with a lonoitudinal slot on the side of its said sup orting collar remote from the eonically siaped end of the easing, pencil lead propellinfr, retraeting and expelling mechanism assoclated with smid slotted guide tube and comprising a spirally slotted sleeve mounted lon said co lar and on that side thereot` remote from the lead opening and coneentrically with said guide tube, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said sleeve relative to said conically shaped collar and said casing, an operating' cap at the end ot the casing opposite the lead opening, means connecting between said operating cap and said spirally slotted sleeve for rotating the latter, a tubular pencil lead socket carried within said guide tube and having a part thereof operatively7 associated with the groove in said spirally siotted sleeve and with said slotted guide tube, and e follower telescopically engaging said pencil lead socket and being also operativelyv associated with and controlled bv said -spirally slotted sleeve and said slotte uide tube.

.ln testimony Whereot I have signed my naine to this speciication, on this 19th day of November, A. D. 1921.

CRAIG R. SHEAFFER. 

